Lily of the Valley
by sdl64533
Summary: Robin and Maria fluff. Filmverse, begins one month after the movie ends.
1. Snakes in the Woods

Chapter One: Snakes in the Woods?

Maria had been a thirteen-year-old, impetuous, willful girl when she'd first arrived. She had become accustomed to Moonacre's magic easily; she'd all but forgotten the feeling of she'd had hen she'd arrived in Moonacre for the first time. The era of the moon pearls, as Maria thought of it, had passed in Moonacre Valley. Maria had jumped off of a cliff to return the magic pearls to the ocean only a month ago. Maria knew that the magic of the Valley had existed prior to the moon's blessing and would continue on after the era of the moon pearls. Before anyone knew about the moon pearls wedding gifts had been unicorns from the ocean and demonic black lions, so it was as if the breaking of the curse brought back some of the wild, unfettered magic of a time long ago. So much had changed about herself and about the valley.

There were some days when Maria still wondered why Robin Denoir had been carrying her ribbon in his pocket. Why did Robin Denoir carry her ribbon in his pocket? Why did he listen to her when no one else would? Was it only because he was the least prideful of any in the valley? Maria knew that the childish, girlish feeling she had felt when she'd discovered that Robin had been holding onto that small piece of her had not passed yet-she wondered if it would.

Maria still spent her mornings learning her lessons with Miss Heliotrope as her teacher, though Maria was supposed to call her Mrs. Digweed now. Out loud she just barely managed to call her that, but internally Maria still thought of her as Miss Heliotrope. Maria was roused from the tumultuous pattern of her own thoughts by the flash of a little white horse ahead of her. She smiled and continued more purposefully. Her lessons were over for the day and she was ready to enjoy the summer woods. She made her way through the forest to where Robin's traps were set. If she needed him she would often trigger one of his traps, but for today she knew he would be there waiting for her. Maria stepped over a log carefully. She had been having nightmares recently about being bitten by a snake so she had become extra cautious.

"Maria," Robin called out, waving at her. She looked up at him, smiling and she gave a quick little wave before peering warily at a stick across the path. Snakes could disguise themselves as sticks. She was making her way more carefully through the forest these days and she suspected that Robin would notice and ask about it sooner or later.

Robin came quickly towards her, "Are you injured?"

"No," Maria gave him a measuring look. Apparently he'd be asking sooner rather than later.

"I've been dreaming about snakes lately," she confessed, "and I just want to be extra cautious."

"Huh," Robin looked thoughtful, "I wonder what that means." Maria shrugged and they walked together through the forest. She had been accompanying him on his treks through the woods every week since the pearls had been returned.

"What happens in your dream?" Robin asked, concerned.

"Well, I'm always out in the forest at night, looking for you, which only makes sense in the dream. I'm almost to the trap we usually meet at when a snake bites me. I don't ever see it, I only feel it. Anyway, I call out for you and I try to get to you but I can't walk and it hurts," Maria was getting quite worked up and Robin stopped her with a strong hand on her upper arm.

"Relax," he said, "It's just a dream. You wouldn't be out in the woods at night anyway, right?"

"No," she said slowly, "I can't think of any reason why I would need to find you after dark. I wouldn't expect you to be anywhere but in your own bed at night, anyway." That thought made her wonder what his bedroom looked like but she didn't dare ask.

"You've never been afraid of the woods before," Robin said, walking in front of her to hold out his hand. She took it, holding her skirt with the other hand over a rough patch of ground embedded with many tree roots.

"How are things for you at home, Robin?" Maria asked, casting a quick sideways glance at him. She noticed that he had not let go of her hand, yet, but she didn't mind. He made a noise in his throat glancing at her with wide brown eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and Maria sensed she had crossed some invisible boundary with him.

"I was just worried about how well you and your father were getting along after... everything. I know the two of you seemed to have made up in those moments after the pearls disappeared. I was just worried because your father was so upset with you for siding with me..." Maria trailed off, looking at Robin with apologetic eyes.

"Oh," he said, and for a few minutes he said nothing else so Maria thought the conversation was ended.

"Things are awkward between us now," Robin finally said, "But that's just because my father and I were never close, Maria. It's complicated." His tone left Maria feeling that this was a subject she had best leave alone for the time being.

Maria looked at Robin, wondering how someone so pretty could look so sad. She remembered how taunting, carefree, and dangerous he had seemed when they'd first met-when he'd tried to kidnap her a second time! Maria could see beyond that facade now and she wondered if Robin's relationship wasn't a more violent than loving one. She still did not believe that his father had quite forgiven her for breaking the curse. Coeur Denoir had not sided with her, no matter what Loveday believed. Maria knew in her heart that it was Robin, Maria, Loveday, and Uncle Benjamin that had broken the curse. If it was not for Robin Maria thought they might all be dead now and the valley plunged into the ocean.

"Here, let me show one of my favorite parts of the forest," Robin said, leading her by the hand once again. Maria murmured her assent. He eventually brought her to a meadow filled with wild flowers with a willow tree at the center, flowing beautifully in the breeze. He turned back to look at her face. He watched her expression turn to one of wonder and joy.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, "I love willow trees. They are like elegant women in beautiful dresses."

"I thought you'd like it," he said, spinning to pluck a flower from the ground and back around again to present it to her with a bow. He is plucky, she thought, and filled with whimsy and kindness. She slid the flower into her hair, behind her ear.

"I brought a book for you," she told him. She had called his group of friends the lost boys yesterday and had been aghast at his inquiring expression. He may have read the book as a young boy, or at least she hoped someone had read it to him, but he'd forgotten the story.

"It's Peter Pan," she said, "the one about the boy who never ages and his band of lost boys. It' the story of how Wendy meets him and he takes her to Neverland."

"Yes, you said you'd read it to me," Robin responded, contently.

"So I did," Maria told him, "Let's sit under the willow. This is the perfect place for this story."

Maria sat under the tree and he sat next to her. She began to read aloud to him. He shifted now and then as she read, pulled a weed from the ground and stuck it between his teeth at one point. Eventually he ended up with his head laying down in her lap while she read. He put his hat on his stomach, underneath his folded hands. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her sweet voice. The smell of the willow and the wildflowers mixed with a new scent.

"You're wearing perfume," he murmured, blinking his eyes open.

Maria stopped reading to look at him. She marked herself at the the beginning of the third chapter. She supposed this was a good time to stop. She had worried she would read for too long.

"Yes," Maria said, "Do you like it?"

"It's different," he said, "You never wore perfume before."

"I was never allowed to," Maria said, smiling a little. "My father thought wearing perfume was too grown up. He said that perfume..." she trailed off, remembering that her father had told her perfume attracted boys and she didn't want one of those, yet.

"He didn't like for me to wear perfume," Maria finished instead. She held her wrist up to his nose, delicately. He didn't make a big show of sniffing her wrist, just inhaled. It smelled of lilies and a plant he could have found for her but that he couldn't name and he told her so.

"It's bergamot and lily-of-the-valley," she told him. It had sandalwood and oak moss, as well, but she didn't think he really cared what was in it so she didn't elaborate. She pulled her wrist back.

"Loveday helped me," she told Robin, settling back against the tree, "She wants me to experiment with different perfumes before I settle on a favorite, but I really like this one."

"Just don't start wearing make-up," Robin said, sounding disgruntled. Maria smiled at his gruff tone. It reminded her of Uncle Benjamin's reaction to all of the female goings on in his home now.

"You sound like Uncle Benjamin," Maria said, running her fingers through his curls. Robin's eyes closed again and Maria thought she heard him make a sound of contentment. Maria thought he may have fallen asleep after some time and was tempted to do the same herself.

Looking at his face, free to stare since his eyes were closed, she imagined letting her hand slide down his cheek. She idly wrapped one of his curls around her finger and let it slide off.

"Such beautiful curls," she murmured. He was really to handsome for his own good.

He opened his sleepy brown eyes lazily and turned to face her with a sly smile.

"I'm still awake, you know," he said, his voice slumberous and deep.

"I know," Maria said, not very truthfully. She looked up abruptly at the branches of the willow tree waving lazily as her cheeks flushed red. Robin watched her with soft look, admiring the length of her slender white neck and the way her hair fell in waves of pale red.

After they left the meadow Maria for a moment wondered why Robin enjoyed exploring the woods with her.

"Robin," Maria asked, calling out to him as he'd gotten ahead of her again, "Why do you like to explore the woods with me? You've walked these lands your whole life. Don't you get bored?"

"Never," he stopped to wait for Maria to catch up, "The woods do change over time. Some things stay the same, but in that way it's like spending time with an old friend. In other ways I see the woods through your eyes now and everything is utterly new to you."

Maria smiled and Robin looked worried for a moment, "Why? Are you getting bored already?"

"No," she replied, immediately, "I'm never bored when I'm with you."

Robin's smile was shy and he turned his face away from her so she would not see it.


	2. Mystery of the Flowers

Chapter Two: The Mystery of the Flowers

Two weeks later, at breakfast, Mr. Digweed brought the morning post. He had something special for Maria.

"And flowers," he said with a flourish, presenting a bouquet from behind his back. Miss Heliothrope clasped her hands together in delight before her husband had the intelligence to add, "for Miss Maria."

Maria stood to take the flowers. Maria sniffed the bouquet, smiling as the thought dawned on her that this was the first time anyone had given her flowers. They were lily-of-the-valley and they smelled fresh and pure.

"Who are they from, Maria?" Loveday asked, nearly coming out of her seat. Maria found the card in the bouquet.

"May each revolving year, little friend, With joy begin and goodness end; May heaven its choicest blessings send, Happy Birthday, Maria," Maria read. She stopped there, although at the end there was an elegant handwritten personal message which she read only to herself: "With words alone I cannot express, With deeds alone I cannot impress, but with goodness I hope to charm the princess."

Maria felt a smile spread across her face.

"That's lovely," Loveday said, her hand covering Uncle Benjamin's, "But who is it from, Maria?"

Maria felt her smile fade, "It isn't signed."

"That's typical," Miss Heliothrope told her, "Though it often results in confusion it does save the sender from possible embarrassment."

But only one person calls me "princess," Maria thought.

"Well, that is a reminder for the rest of us, I suppose," Uncle Benjamin said, "Maria's birthday is in only two more weeks." Maria walked away from breakfast, not needing to hear the rest of the conversation. She would only be fourteen; she kept wondering how she wasn't older after all she knew and had been through.

After all I thought knew  
After all I'd been through  
It's nothing  
When compared to you

* * *

Maria was not as cautious the next time she went to the woods to see Robin. In fact, she ran straight into him she was running so quickly. Robin had a look of bafflement on his face, but he couldn't help but smile at Maria's exuberance. Her excitement was infectious.

"Robin," Maria said breathlessly, "I love the flowers you sent me."

His smile faded, "I didn't send you flowers."

"What?" Maria was shocked and she protested, "But the note called me a princess. It wasn't signed."

"I'm not the only one that knows that about you," he said, gently, setting her back a little bit. She'd run straight into his arms and had stayed there.

"Oh," Maria said, obviously disappointed.

"You have a secret admirer," Robin said, and his tone had an undercurrent of tension that Maria missed.

"No," she said softly, "They were just for my birthday. It's nothing." Robin wasn't convinced, but he took some comfort from the fact that Maria didn't seem to be taking the flowers seriously now that they weren't from him. That made him smile slightly.

"I gave you flowers two weeks ago," he said, leaping quickly up onto a higher part of the ground so he could look down at her puzzled face. He noticed how her soft red hair fell around her face in waves.

"I gave you a whole meadow full of flowers," Robin prompted her, "And not picking them means we can enjoy the flowers every year in the summertime."

Maria's face lit up, "I put the flower you gave me for my hair into a book to press it. I'll frame it and have it forever that way."

"I like that idea a lot better than the flower wilting and dying," Robin told her.

"I am ever so clever," Maria replied in a sing-song voice, swishing her skirt. Robin rolled his eyes at her and she laughed.

* * *

Maria's birthday was a small affair, the Denoir and the Merryweather family came together for a rather subdued dinner. Sir Coeur Denoir came with Robin for dinner and offered Maria flowers upon entering the Manor.

"Lily-of-the-day," Maria murmured, as she took them. She had a knowing smile and said quietly, "I am quite charmed, Sir Denoir." The older man smiled apologetically at her.

"Flowers alone won't be enough, Maria, but I like to think they are a good start," he said so quietly that only she could hear, "I have another present for you, a real gift, but Robin told me your favorite perfume is bergamot and lily-of-the-valley so I thought you might like these." The man who had been so frightening to her before had come a long way and changed very much, Maria realized, when she heard his quiet words.

Loveday's gift had been silver hair combs and jewelry, including earrings, an ornate brooch, a black lace cameo choker, and a matching ring and bracelet with leaves and vines engraved.

"Now you can start wearing jewelry and perfume," Loveday whispered, while Uncle Benjamin tried to keep his displeasure to himself. His expression spoke volumes, though it only made Loveday's smile wider.

Uncle Benjamin had given her a white and blue porcelain tea set of her own and a selection of loose teas. Robin got Maria new ribbons, and she went to replace it with one of the new ones. No one noticed when Robin secretly stole the one she'd been wearing at the beginning of the evening. He had no way to explain to himself why he wanted a ribbon of hers (again) but he did. He tried not to think about it too much.

Sir Denoir's gift was ornately wrapped and revealed a delicate glass bottle. It looked like it had been hand painted; the detailed scrollwork berries, leaves, and vines were done in raised enamel gilt over the white frosted glass. The vines and leaves were painted green and the berries were a dark blue that was nearly purple. The gold lid had a crescent moon engraved and the base of the bottle was covered in gold with an engraving that said simply, "Maria."

"Thank you very much," Maria said, feeling that Robin's father really was trying to make amends with her. She opened the top and sniffed, finding that it was in fact bargamot and lily-of-the-valley perfume. She realized that Robin and his father had to be working together to make amends with her. At least it explained who the flowers had come from two weeks ago.


	3. The Harvest Ball

Chapter Three: The Harvest Ball

Robin glared briefly at the dark clouds that hung baleful across the sky. He knew Maria wouldn't venture into the woods on a day that threatened rain for fear of ruining her dress (another one). He regretted for the thousandth time the fashions of the era the kept Maria in high heeled boots and long skirts. He wished that she was allowed to wear more versatile clothing, not that she felt that way. He'd mentioned it once and she'd given him a look that spoke volumes. She liked her fancy dresses. The men and women of the Denoir clan tended to be a few hundred years behind the fashions, as his sister could attest.

"Come on, Robin!" one of his friends shouted. He got up off of the ledge and joined them. Rainy days, or days that threatened rain, were the days he tended to spend more time with his friends, young men his own age. They ranged from fourteen to twenty. Robin would be seventeen in September but he was still the one in charge. Rather than checking traps today they were going to form a hunting party and see if they couldn't bring down a deer or two for the harvest celebration coming up. Loveday was planning a dance on summer equinox to commemorate the harvest. Robin knew she was probably fretting about the clouds overhead and hoping that they wouldn't stay long enough to ruin her plans.

Robin had always loved the rain, it fed the forest after all, but now he associated it sometimes with the lack of Maria and that made it less enjoyable for him. What cheered him today was the prospect of seeing Maria at the Harvest Ball. He thought that the dance would be something to look forward to, so long as the rain clouds didn't stay long.

Robin and his friends would go on their own hunt, a rite of passage, for a hart (a red deer) while his father and the older men would hunt a boar. Early that morning Robin and Henry had gone questing, that is they had taken one of his father's lyam hounds to locate the tracks, broken branches, and droppings of the animal they would chase that day. Robin had seen the hart near Hideaway Hollow, as Maria called the place where the moon pearls had been hidden. He and Henry had met with the rest of their hunting party for breakfast and had mapped out a plan as best they could.

They left now to position the dogs along the route that Robin believed the hart would take, with Richard to be in charge of the dogs. Robin, Henry, and David would come with the stalking horses to disguise them and intermingle with the deer. Robin's father would be off with his horses and his hawk and dogs of his own to chase down a boar. Robin didn't envy them that; he hated boars in the forest and he wasn't fond of the meat that came from them either. He was glad though, that other men hunted boars for food for the Denoir village simply because it meant the forest was safer for people (like Maria).

It began to sprinkle as soon as Robin's hunting party set out. It was good, really, because in weather like this the deer were prone to move about more. It wasn't hard to move them along to bottleneck the herd in an area they'd chosen that morning. They wounded the the eldest adult red deer, the preferred quarry, using the element of surprise to allow David to shoot it with bow and arrow. The herd lit out at that and Robin and his fellows mounted the horses quickly to give chase. Hunting wild game was not a spot that allowed them to be too picky but the hart was wounded. It was brief for a hunt.

It occurred to Robin later that near the end, when the hart broke off from the herd, that the hart seemed to be leading the hunt away from the rest of the herd. They ended up nearer the castle they called home than when they'd begun, and with a dead red deer to show off when they returned. Robin made the kill with a sword, and David and Henry came in to take it apart while Richard continued to hold back the dogs. The dogs were fed with the intestines and bits of other meat from the fresh kill, to encourage the hunting instinct in them.

All in all it was a very good days work, but now they all needed to bathe (more than once) and change clothes.

* * *

The next day the Denoir clan brought meat from a hart and a boar to the Harvest Ball. They all came en masse with everyone in the best clothing they had, dark as ever, but in good spirits.  
Loveday had erected tents in case of the rain but it turned out to be unnecessary. The storm had been quick and light; everything wasn't completely dry but the party went on unhindered. There were a few who drank too much, a few who ate too much, and a few who danced too much. Robin frankly thought, watching as Richard charmed Maria, that Maria was one of the ones dancing too much.

Coeur Denoir drank tonight because he saw on his son's face a look he remembered being on his own when he'd first seen, Eleanor. Eleanor had named her daughter Loveday, the daughter that looked like the original Moon Princess and like neither of her parents, in the hope that she would be the last Moon Princess. Loveday had not broken the curse herself, but Coeur belived Eleanor would be proud of both of her children for the part they had played in the end. Still, he thought, it would be a poor night to overindulge given the brightness of the Merryweather festivities.

"You know," Coeur Denoir leaned over, "If you ask her to dance then Richard can sit here and scowl." Robin leaned away from his father, smelling the alcohol on his breath and giving him a less than charitable look. Sir Coeur Denoir watched his stubborn son with his eyes surprisingly soft but a bit tipsy.

"Mind your own," Robin admonished lightly, "And mind you don't overdo it." The older man harumphed and put down an untouched glass in front of his son with a thump.

"Mind you do more," he said, "Maybe it'll help you with your lady problems."

"I don't have lady problems," Robin grumbled, and got up to leave. Robin circled the dance floor, surprised when his gaze caught Maria's eyes. She had stopped dancing for just a bit but she was conversing with Richard still. She smiled at him, hesitantly, and he approached her.

* * *

Even though her feet were starting to hurt Maria still hoped Robin would ask her to dance. If anyone else asked her to dance again she decided she would turn them down. She'd been excited for the opportunity of dancing with Robin when she'd learned of the ball, though she tried to tell herself it didn't matter whether she danced with him or not. A part of Maria felt that she was irrevocably in love with Robin Denoir. Another part of her, a wise voice she chose to listen to, told her that she should relax around him. There had been a moment after the pearls had been returned that she went to visit him only to discover that she could hardly speak. She'd given herself a mental kick after and gone back to normal the next time she went to see him. Ever since then she'd been more herself around him and he seemed to like her just fine that way.

Maria thought that this dress was one of Miss Heliothrope's greatest pieces of wearable art so far. The bodice and skirt were festooned with hand made morning glories with pearl centers. The morning glory vines trailed up the side trim panels of the skirt and the back trim sashes. The skirt's front panel was trimmed in lace and beaded by hand. The fabric was floral bengaline, a pale peach colored fabric with a delicate and nearly invisible floral pattern, and the trim was done with silk and lace. The bustle wasn't exposed, which was unusual for her dresses, but instead had a sash-like back that dropped straight down to be bundled together. Her calf high, lace-up boots had two inch heels, matched the pale peach color of the dress, and had lace across the sides.

Maria wore the jewelry she'd received from Loveday and the ribbons Robin had given her for her birthday in April. She was fashionable, princess-like, and covered in pearls. She wore her hair with a small, flat braid over the top of her head and in carefully styled coils falling down her back. A graceful silver hair comb from Loveday crowned her hair above the braid and the ribbons in her hair were first wound through the braid over the top of her hair. The ribbons left the braid and were curled to fall in ringlets throughout the tightly coiled curls of her hair. Maria hoped he liked the way she looked. It had taken her the entire day to get ready even with help.

The crowd parted for a moment and Maria and Robin's eyes caught each other.

* * *

[Author's note: Maria's dress is the Imperial II Arilla Elizabeth dress from frocksofages-com, in case anyone wanted to see images of it. Her hair was inspired by the hair here: www-girlydohairstyles-com/2010_08_01_archive-html except with Maria I left it small, put in victorian hair combs, threaded ribbons through the braid and curled them down her back, and coiled the hair flowing down her back to intermingle with the ribbons.]


	4. The Request

The Request

Maria felt a strong tug on her heart. She had been talking to Richard, one of Robin's friends, but she wasn't paying the best attention. She saw Robin get up but as he walked around the dancers she had lost track of him. But she saw him now.

Robin approached, dressed as darkly as any descendant of a Denoir, but he had left behind his feathers and his signature coat tonight. He still wore his hat, of course, and Maria noticed it with affection and a smile. His hair escaped out of the bottom of his bowler hat in a riot or curls. His coat was a formal tailcoat made of black velvet. His black vest bore pearl buttons and matched the pearl tie tack in his black silk puff tie. Beneath his vest he wore a brilliantly red dress shirt that had a finely pleated bib front and band collar. He looked handsome and if he was uncomfortable in such elegant clothing it did not show when he looked at her.

Maria gave one slow, elegant curtsey and murmued, "Mr. Denoir, it is a pleasure to see you again." His smile reminded her of when she'd first met him; his eyes filled up with satirical amusement.

"How do you do?" he asked, removing his hat with his right hand and holding it to his abdomen and bending his left arm behind his back. He bowed with a quick bend of his hips and of his neck while still keeping his brown eyes looking directly into her hazel ones. She didn't hear the click but she knew his heels came together with the motion. He knew how to be formal and polite, Maria understood, he just didn't usually act that way. When he rose she murmured she was very well, thank you.

"Shall I have the honor of dancing this set with you, Princess?" Robin asked, and his smile became less amused and more sincere as he offered his arm. Maria wondered that he didn't laugh. She admitted it was amusing, since the two of them had gone from enemies to fast friends quite quickly. They had never before stood on such formalities.

"Yes, you shall have the honor of the fifth set," Maria responded, "as I have no previous engagements for the Viennese Waltz." Her smile was twitched with mirth, but she knew if she laughed then he would laugh too and he would remember it as her doing.

"Very well," Robin agreed, watching Maria pull write his name into her dance card. Loveday had created the dance cards to be souvenirs of the Harvest Ball. The front cover showed a large, round Harvest Moon above an overflowing Horn of Plenty. The first page inside listed the nine dances planned for the evening with empty slots to enter names in. Robin caught a glimpse of Maria's dance card and was unsurprised to realize that Maria had nearly filled up her card. The fifth set, the Viennesse Waltz, was the first of the only five empty slot left. It made him slightly sour so he took his leave politely and promised to return upon the fifth set.

"Did she had a space left for you, Robin?" Loveday asked quietly when he passed her.

"Yes," he said, "though her card is very full already."

Loveday smiled, "She told me in secret that she would try to save a waltz for you, but I was beginning to wonder if you would ever ask. I was surprised she wasn't the first girl you asked to dance with tonight." Robin felt his neck grow warm under his collar.

"Why are you all so interested in whether or not I ask Maria to dance?" he grumbled, his voice low. Loveday gave a tinkling laugh, just in time for his father to arrive and ask for a dance.

"I am dancing the fourth set with the lovely Maria, my darling daughter, but I thought I might dance a set with you later. May I have the honor?" he asked, his eyes sparkling at the way Robin's mouth tightened. Robin was unamused at first, then he realized that he preferred Maria dance with his father than his friends.

Robin knew that it was improper to display a preference for one man over many so Maria was only doing what a lady should do at a ball, even Loveday would only dance the first set with Sir Benjamin tonight. He'd always known Maria to be a lady. Robin knew it was foolish and not very gentlemanly like to be upset by her gentility and proper etiquette, so he was annoyed as more with himself and the requirements of etiquette than anything else. He had intended at one time to limit the dancing he did with Maria to only four, since that was polite, but now he didn't know if he would get four dances with her. He vowed to ask her for a second dance immediately after the fifth set, the waltz, was finished.

In the meantime, Robin stalked away to find Miss Edwina Harland, a distant cousin on his mother's side of the family, to honor his promise to her for this next set.


	5. The Dance

The Dance

When the fifth set finally came neither Robin nor Maria had lacked dance partners at any point. They came together on the dance floor. Maria's left hand wrapped firmly and completely around the Robin's right shoulder. Robin placed his right hand slightly to the left on the middle of her back. The other two hands were joined together held lower than the shoulder at about his chest, with the elbows low. Though they had joined hands they were both wearing gloves. Maria wore opera-length gloves and Robin wore kid Viennese waltz allowed for a mutually supporting close embrace. Maria had felt a certain amount of trepidation at the thought of being so close and intimate at first. The rush of the last four dances and the thrill of the evening had flushed her cheeks and made her more brave.

The Viennese waltz contained few patterns, only a natural turn (a turn to the right), a reverse turn (a turn to the left), and two change steps. The movement and tempo of the dance was challenging and fast, though, so it was not a dance for beginners. They began to move quickly in a clockwise direction. Maria never took her eyes off of Robin's face, if she did she'd get dizzy. She had the pleasure of seeing his eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiled at her.

When the dance was over Robin dropped his arms promptly. He proceeded to offer her his arm, which she took gladly. He walked with her across the ballroom floor and returned her to the side of Miss Heliothrope.

"Shall I have the pleasure of another dance with you, Miss Maria?" Robin asked, and Maria was still a little breathless when she gave him a yes.

"Yes, and it shall be the ninth set, the Redowa," she replied, pulling up the dance card attached to a cord she wore 'round her wrist so he could pencil his name in, "The this next set I shall sit out to catch my breath." The Redowa was a dance that consisted of hopping steps and it was the last dance of the evening.

He thanked her for the privilege of having such a graceful partner and gave a polite bow. She returned his gesture with a curtsy and a thank you so very much.

It irked Robin that Maria's dance card had filled up so fast. He knew she had stayed in seated for the third set and was unsurprised that she would stay seated for the sixth set, since it followed the Viennese Waltz which was quite fast. Robin knew from hearing about it from Richard that Maria had turned him down for the third set so it was not for lack of a partner that she sat out. He wondered if she'd not broken her boots in properly before the dance or if she was tired for some other reason.

"Are you quite alright, dear?" Miss Heliothrope asked as Maria sat down at the table.

"I'm just unusually tired tonight, Miss Heliothrope," she murmured.

"Perhaps it would be best if you retired early this evening," she said with a worried frown.

"Oh," Maria exclaimed, "I can't, Miss Heliothrope, I am promised for the last three sets."

"Very well, but you will get plenty of rest tomorrow," Miss Heliothrope's tone was firm.

"Yes, Miss Heliothrope," Maria said.

Maria danced next with two young men from the Du Noir clan, friends and acquaintances of Robin, before she danced the last set with him. After that she promptly retired for the evening with Miss Heliothrope. They quickly and quietly said goodnight to Loveday and Benjamin before departing. Robin watched Maria leave and then went to find his father to propose that it was time to depart.

[Author's Note: When it says Robin is wearing kid gloves, it refers to gloves made from young goat leather (soft and very fine) and not gloves for a child.]

[Warning: The rest of the chapter concerns Maria starting her first menstrual bleeding. Don't read it if you if you are squeamish or otherwise unhappy about that sort of thing.]

* * *

That night Maria woke with a terrible pain in her abdomen."Oh," she moaned quietly, lifting herself up into a seated position and throwing back the blankets. She was quite horrified, and it showed on her face, to see her nightdress stained with blood."Oh, no," she cried out, getting up from the bed gingerly. When no large pain assaulted her she gathered up the stained nightdress and hurried down the tower stairs to find Loveday. She went to the door of the master suite, but hesitated. With nothing else to do she resolved that she would just have to wake them both.

"Loveday," she called through the door as she knocked firmly on the door, "Loveday, I need help."

Loveday came to answer the door, while Benjamin sat up and onto the side of the bed. Benjamin rubbed the sleep from his eyes, muttering something like Gad's teeth.

"Hush, Benjamin," Loveday turned back to say, then opened the door to see Maria in her white gown. Helplessly, and with a terrified expression, Maria handed Loveday her candle lantern and showed the red stained gown.

"Oh, Maria," Loveday said, her tone one of soft affection.

"Loveday, what in the in deuces is going on?" Benjamin called out, "And can't it wait until morning?"

"Benjamin, go back to bed. I need to help Maria," Loveday turned to say firmly, and when he made as if to come and see for himself what the matter was she shooed him back to the bed. Delicately, Loveday edged out of the bedchamber and closed the door firmly behind her.

"Dear Maria," Loveday said again, her eyes looking misty, "You've grown up so fast."

"What is happening to me?" Maria said, desperately trying not to cry, "Am I dying?"

Loveday had the good sense not to laugh, "No, dear, you're not dying. Here, come with me and we'll put something together for you."

Maria followed Loveday to her sewing room and watched as the older woman quickly made a long dark piece of cheesecloth into a drawstring bag, a curious drawstring bag since one side had two layers of cheesecloth, and stuffed the inside with three layers of cotton batting.

"You can open the bag and change the stuffing we you need to," Loveday said, her voice kept low, "I also recommend adding baking soda to help it smell less. If you're anything like me you'll have to change it probably more than a dozen times a day."

"What's wrong with me?" Maria asked, this time less panicked.

"Nothing is wrong with you dear," Loveday replied, "This is normal for young women. We all go through this eventually. You have started your menstruation; you're a woman now. It means your body is ready for you to have children. It means, darling Maria, that you are old enough to marry."

"My darling Mara," she said, taking both Maria's hands and kissing them. Closer to the end of her explanation Loveday grew more excited. For her part Maria was much to uncomfortable to take any joy in this situation.

"Now, dear, you'll need to change into a new nightdress and knickers," Loveday instructed, "You'll need a belt and another strip of cloth to keep your napkin in place. I'll get more cloth and a belt, you go set these stained clothes to soak in cold water. Miss Heliothrope will see if we can save them, but they are probably destined to be rags now."

"Oh, Loveday, it hurts," Maria said and Loveday gave her a sympathetic look

"That is the unfortunate part, Maria. I can only say that it will probably hurt less after the first day," Loveday responded, not unkindly.

Maria went and filled her wash basin with water. Loveday followed only moment behind her with a long strip of cloth and a piece of cheesecloth. Maria put her stained nightdress and pantaloons into the basin to soak, shivering as she did so, while Loveday wrapped the drawstring napkin in more cheesecloth and pinned that cheesecloth to the long cloth. Loveday helped Maria put a soft belt on, the belt was little more than a soft piece of rope, and Maria pulled a new nightdress over her head. Loveday instructed Maria how to put on the long strip of cloth; it was worn with the pinned in napkin between the legs, while the rest of the long cloth was tucked over and wrapped around the belt in front and back.

"There," Loveday pronounced, "Now you can put your knickers on. We'll buy you some darker colored underthings as soon as we can. I think a visit to London should be planned for late next week."

"But Loveday I can't go to London like this!" Maria was aghast.

Loveday chuckled, "You won't be like this for much more than a week, dearest."

"Really?" Maria said, "It's only for a week?"

"One week, maybe less, but it comes every month," Loveday replied, disappointing Maria, "Now, back to bed with you. We'll talk more tomorrow."

* * *

[Author's Note: Before you say she is too young for menses, stop. On average wealthy, well-fed girls could start as early as thirteen in the Victorian era. It was common for girls who were malnourished, ill, poverty-stricken, et cetera to start as late as their early twenties, but she is none of those things. Also, the method Loveday provides for Maria is based on anecdotal evidence of ways women took care of the menstrual blood. Ask and I will email you the evidence I am talking about.]


	6. The Hideaway Hollow

Edit to the last line of the last chapter:

"I'll help you change your sheets so you can go back to sleep, then it's to bed with you. We'll talk more tomorrow," Loveday told her, and they began stripping the bed.

* * *

The Hideaway Hollow

The next day Maria at the especially large amount of sweets beside her bed in the morning and then went straight to the sewing room for more cotton batting, praying no one would see her. She took a hefty amount of the batting back to her room and shoved it underneath her bed. Then she took scissors and cut enough to refill her napkin. With a sound of disgust, she emptied the bloody batting in the napkin she'd worn through the night into the trash bin and refilled the napkin. She went to wash and found the blood stained in the basin. With a scream of frustration she despaired at being born a woman.

She crawled back into bed, deciding that she would just tell everyone that she was unwell today. It was true, after all.

Miss Heliothrope had spoken to Loveday already and so she went to check on her young charge. She found the girl asleep still in her bed. The stained sheets had been taken away in the night by Loveday but the gown still remained in the wash basin. Clucking softly, Miss Heliothrope went to the trouble of taking the wash basin out. She would take care of the gown. She then went and asked her husband to put a new wash basin in Maria's room and refill the pitcher with water.

* * *

When Maria woke again there was a full pitcher of water and a new, different wash basin. The wash basin was empty, void of water, stain, and dress. Sighing gratefully, she rose from bed and began her daily ablutions. She took off and put her nightdress aside before she rinsed her hair. Next Maria soaped her face and hands, rinsed her face, and then took a wash rag to the rest of her. She finally rinsed her hands and her body, shivering from the morning cold. She dried herself as best she could and began to dress. Miss Heliothrope came to join her again, helping her with the corset and the dress that laced in the back. Inevitably, she and Miss Heliothrope discussed the new state of things as the dressed. Maria vaguely wished she could just forget about it. All in all the entire process took the better part of an hour, and that was after she had slept in by going back to bed. When she came down to breakfast it was quite late and breakfast was well over, though there was plenty of food still.

"Good morning, Maria," Benjamin greeted her, somewhat awkwardly, "I hear you are not quite well today. Do sit and eat as it is quite late."

"Yes, Uncle," Maria murmured, taking a seat next to Loveday and across from Miss Heliothrope. After she had had a portion of her breakfast Benjamin, who had finished his breakfast, cleared his throat self consciously.

"Well, ah, I believe we are all aware of the new state of affairs. Loveday has recommended that we should perhaps consider throwing a dance for your coming out."

"What?" Maria asked, horrified.

"You are a young woman standing, Maria, a young lady. You are of age now and you have completed your education. It follows that you will be presented to the public as officially eligible for marriage," Maria watched as her uncle nearly strangled himself on the last word but he finished quickly, "So, there we are. Nothing to be done."

"This is a happy thing, Maria," Miss Heliothrope added quietly, "You'll get to go to London and buy a new trousseau and find a chest for your glory box."

Maria vaguely recalled that a glory box was a traditional cedar chest filled with house linens, dishes, and clothing for married life. The thoughts inside Maria's head fairly buzzed. She thought of marriage to some unknown groom, she thought of leaving Moonacre Manor-or perhaps, leaving Moonacre altogether!-to be a wife, she thought of losing Miss Heliothrope, Chef Scarlet, Lady Loveday, and Uncle Benjamin...

Maria threw herself up from her chair and shouted, "No!"

Without another thought she ran from the room, hurried up the stairs of the tower, and slammed the door to her room behind her. Seeing her room and how beautiful it was reminded her of everything she would be leaving behind if she was forced to marry. Panicked, and with no idea what she should do, Maria began hastily packing her trunk. She threw in things she thought she would need. Her first thought was to do as Loveday had done and go to live in the woods until this madness passed.

She took her few portable belongings and escaped through the secret door. She took the hidden passageway from her room and into the woods. She knew she could not stay where Loveday had lived but she knew of another place, a secret place that only she and Robin really knew about. She went to hide away beneath the hollow of the great tree, where the first Moon Princess had hidden the magic pearls.

* * *

Across the valley and hours later, the Denoir clan was eating a full meal together when one of the guards announced a visitor. Robin glanced up, curious, and was surprised to see Sir Benjamin standing in the Denoir hall. He looked shaken and somewhat worse for wear.

"Sir Coeur Denoir, I beg your indulgence. I am in need of your assistance," Sir Benjamin said, and there was fear in his voice.

"It must be an urgent matter indeed for you to beg for anything, Sir Benjamin. Do go on," Robin's father said, and Robin ducked his head so as to hide his irritated expression. He didn't understand why his father always acted the part of the tyrannical king. The man wasn't actually cruel to his people, merely firm and fair. Be that as it may the facade was getting on Robin's nerves more and more lately.

"I actually hoped to borrow your son, if he is agreeable. You see, Maria has gone missing," Sir Benjamin admitted with great reluctance, "It was my hope that your son would be so kind as to help us find her and bring her home again."

"Was she in the forest last?" Robin asked, immediately alert.

"No," Sir Benjamin admitted bitterly, "But there is a passageway from the manor to the forest and we believe... she is probably in the forest now."

"Dear God, man, do you mean to say you let someone steal her out from under your own roof?" Robin's father nearly bellowed.

"She wasn't stolen," Sir Benjamin snapped, "She... She ran away."

"Well, that's another story then, isn't it?" the older man said, calming almost immediately. Robin tried to hide his smile as he realized how upset his father would have been if someone had stolen Maria. The old bear cared about her after all, though it would have been more surprising if he had been able to resist her gentle and welcoming ways.

Robin took his cue and leaned back in his chair, "Why should I help you to find her when she clearly doesn't want to be found? What did you do to make her leave?"

Sir Benjamin expelled a harsh breath, "We were discussing marriage. She is quite grown up now and... Blast it, Denoir, just help me find her so I can set it right."

"We'll consider it," Sir Denoir said and nodded to the guards. Benjamin did not like the glint in the young Robin's eyes. Sir Benjamin was led out of the hall and presumably off of Denoir land.

"So, she's to be married then?" Sir Denoir said, thoughtfully as Robin hurried to out of his chair. As soon as Sir Benjamin had gone Robin's entire demeanor had changed from bored and uncaring to ruthlessly irritated.

"What the hell is he thinking trying to marry her off?" Robin growled.

"Presenting her to society, such as it is, isn't marrying her off. Not just yet, it isn't. Robin you know how these things go," his father said, watching his son closely as he spoke, "There will be her presentation, some ball or dance which will probably take months to plan, then there will be her first year or two calling on polite members of society-of which there are few here in Moonacre anymore. Some young man, not unlike yourself, will notice her at some event of one kind or another. The two will speak at a few different events, he'll be introduced by a mutual friend, then they will walk out together and begin keeping company with one another. It'll be a good three years yet before any wedding could possibly occur."

Robin gritted his teeth as his father spoke, unaware of the scrutiny he was under. Every word was true, he knew. He'd watched a similar pattern of events happen to a cousin of his and female friends.

"I'm going to go find her. Not for that Merryweather man, just to make sure she is safe," Robin told him, darkly.

"How do you know where she'll be?" his father asked.

"I know her," Robin said simply, and tried to leave quickly to find Maria.

"Wait a moment, son," the older man said, "I might have an idea."

It didn't take him long to find her. She was in the first place he looked, fussing about the linens in the bedroom beneath the great tree.

"Maria," he called out softly, not wishing to startle her. He did anyway, and watched as she spun around with a look not unlike one of the fauns that he'd seen when hunting.

"Oh," she sounded so relieved, "Robin, it's you. You startled me."

"I didn't mean to," he replied, staring at her, "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to hide," she told him, looking around the room, "I've decided I might need to live here for a while. I'm calling it Hideaway Hollow. What do you think?"

"I think that's nice, except for the bit about you living here," he said, looking around. The magic of Moonacre had cleaned up the entire valley, even redecorating in places. This room hadn't changed much but it was cleaner. Then again, there was no telling if that was Maria's doing or not.

"I can't go back, Robin," Maria said solemnly, "They intend to marry me off."

"To who?" he asked, thinking for a moment she meant an arranged marriage.

She shrugged, "No one in particular, or at least I don't think, but Robin I don't want to marry and leave Moonacre behind."

"Oh, no, of course not," he said, realizing Maria's greatest fear must be a suitor from London. He doubted it had occurred to her that she might be able to marry and still stay here. It wouldn't, naturally, since he and his four friends was the only young man she knew in Moonacre who were of the age to be considered potential suitors for her.

"Maria," he said, finally, "I can't leave you here. You are not meant to live in the forest. You don't even know what plants can be eaten and which ones are poisonous. You certainly can't hunt."

He was blunt but he hoped she would understand.

"Why shouldn't I be able to hunt?" she said, annoyance making her eyes flash in a way he admired.

"Well, to start with you are squarely in the middle of Denoir lands," he began, "If you did hunt here it would be a crime and I would have to arrest you."

"Oh," she responded, sitting down on the side of the bed, "Oh, Robin."

"Don't worry, princess," he said, "My father would welcome you. Come home with me and you can hide out at Denoir castle. I promise we will show you much better accommodations than your Hideaway Hollow."

Maria looked uncertainly at Robin for a long moment.

"If you don't like it you can always come back here," he told her softly, "I promise not to lock you in the dungeon this time."

She smiled quickly and briefly. Then, bravely, she agreed to go with him.

But Robin's father, good though he may have been at heart, was still a Denoir man. The customs they followed, like the great hall and the great hunt, were old and out of fashion with the rest of the world. Maria and Robin had no idea what Sir Denoir had planned.

* * *

[Author's Note: Another cliffhanger. Let me know what you think Denoir has planned!]


	7. Denoir Castle

Denoir Castle

Robin secreted Maria through the woods, for her uncle was still searching for her. He would have helped them find her if she hadn't been the one to choose to go missing. He wanted Maria's happiness, whatever that meant, and right now he knew she needed to stand her ground with her uncle.

He led her through the forest and through Denoir castle. He introduced her to the cook, Baxter Delaunie, and the maids, Alice, Caroline, and Jocelyn. He told Maria that Alice would be the one to help her if she ever needed anything. Alice bobbed a curtsy in Maria's direction, her eyes meekly on the floor. He was smiling when he showed her around the castle. Alice followed them at Robin's request.

"And this is my room," he said, gesturing towards his open door. Cautiously Maria peeked into the darkened room. The bed was a large, with dark wood. The carved canopy looked like a highly decorated box. From the wooden canopy hung black curtains that were pulled back so Maria could see pillows the color of a rich red wine. He had a tapestry hung over the gray stone walls showing the beginning of a wild hunt. She knew by now it was a family tradition to go hunting every year, one that was as old as the ancient Denoir family. On the opposite wall a shield decorated elaborately with the Denoir shield hung amidst the entire coat of arms, carved into the walls.

"The family crest," Robin said, noticing her attention as her head tilted slightly to one side. He stuck his hands in his pockets, feeling awkward as she explored his space. The shield that hung on the wall was red. An outwardly scalloped silver banner crossed it diagonally. There was a gold crescent in the top of the banner. The shield had a black lion and a black heart to either side of the silver banner. The black heart had a gold crown over it. Carved into the wall was a helmet over where the shield hung and the rest of the Denoir crest, which included two lions on either side of the shield. The lions were standing on hind legs, with faces turned outward toward the viewer.

"The Denoir family was originally a result of the marriage of Lord Norman De La Coeur and a Princess Fleur De Noir," he told her, "The De La Coeur family was powerful in Normandy and the time and the De Noirs ruled Navarre."

"Normandy and Navarre are ruled by the French monarchy," Maria pointed out.

"Navarre wasn't fully a part of France until 1620," he replied, "The marriage was an attempt by Fleur's father, Pierre De Noir, King of Nevarre, to gain power and keep Navarre independent of France with powerful English allies like the De La Coeur family. Fleur's brother and father died childless in a coup d'état and she became the last of the De Noir family. Lord Norman De La Coeur had his youngest son take the name Coeur Denoir. He was the first Coeur De Noir, the father of the first Moon Princess, and my ancestor. He had a whole new coat of arms drawn up for himself when he was knighted and he changed the name Denoir to be one word. This castle came with Sir Coeur Denoir's knighthood as a result of service to the English crown."

"The De La Coeur's were English?" Maria asked.

Robin shrugged, "How the De La Coeur family became powerful in England is another story. It has a bit to do with Normandy being under English rule before 1204. There are Delacoeur's here and in London and De La Coeur's in Normandy that are relatives of the Denoir family. It's a bit complicated."

"Why did the first Denoir change his name to be one word?" she asked.

"He was being knighted and being given a castle by the English monarchy; he wanted to be more English. Some of the De La Coeur's in England did the same thing," Robin told her.

"Given her the family history, my boy?" Coeur Denoir said, coming up behind them.

"Yes, father," Robin replied, "She was admiring Sir Coeur Denoir's coat of arms."

"Well, that's good," the current Coeur Denoir replied, "If you're done with her for now I would like to have a few moments with Miss Merryweather in my study."

* * *

Maria settled her skirts a bit in one of the hard wooden chairs of Coeur Denoir's study. The entire castle, she decided, lacked a woman's touch with decorating. She didn't see any of Loveday's influence here and she had expected to see some sign of her. She supposed it had something to do with Loveday's tumultuous relationship with Coeur Denoir and her abrupt departure all those years ago. Somehow Maria could easily see an enraged Coeur Denoir rampaging through the castle, throwing out all signs of Loveday, and frightening the maids.

"Well, Miss Merryweather, you do have yourself in a bit of a predicament, don't you?" Robin's father asked her.

Maria was silent. The bite of tears was at her eyes but she didn't cry.

"It is my understanding that you ran from Merryweather Manor when you were informed you would have to get married someday, sooner rather than later. Was the thought of marriage so terrible for you?"

"No," Maria was sad but she spoke thoughtfully, "I had always expected to marry someday."

"Then what was it?" he pressed the matter, "What caused you to want to flee Moonacre in such a hurry?"

"I was not going to flee Moonacre," Maria objected, surprised that he would think so, "It was just the opposite; I didn't want to be presented to society in London and to have to choose a husband there. I know I can't stay at the Manor forever since it is Uncle Benjamin's house to share with Loveday. They'll have children soon and I'll be nothing but a burden. I just couldn't live with the idea of leaving Moonacre. I would rather live in the forest like Loveday did for years than to marry and move to London."

"Merryweather would never allow you to live in the forest," Denoir told her seriously, "Neither would my daughter."

Maria shrugged, "So, I left without asking for approval."

Denoir laughed at that.

"Ah well. But Maria, you are not exactly suited to living in the forest and my boy would much rather you lived here. That's why I told him to kidnap you, you see," Denoir said.

"He didn't kidnap me," Maria objected again.

"Oh, but no one will argue that he didn't kidnap you. Especially since you're here," Denoir pointed out.

"Why would you say that Robin had kidnapped me?" Maria asked of him with some alarm.

"Maria, that has been the way Denoir men acquired wives in the past. Not always, of course, but Coeur Denoir kidnapped his wife and it isn't uncommon," Denoir told her.

"That... that must have been over three hundred years ago," Maria stammered, "Things are different now. You can't simply kidnap a wife anytime you want to marry a girl."

"Oh, but we have," Denoir told her, "You can hardly save your honor and innocent reputation now that you are here. You've been away from home for more than just one night and there is no one to say you haven't been with Robin the entire time. Besides, why would you object to marriage by kidnapping? Marriage to Robin will prevent you from being a burden to Benjamin and Loveday. Marriage to a Denoir will prevent you from being married off and shipped back to London."

Maria had no idea what to say to any of it so she stayed shocked and silent.

Sensing what he thought might be hesitation on Maria's part, rather than the stupor it actually was, Denoir continued to push the idea of Maria marrying and becoming a Denoir.

"I assure you my plan was put together with your best interests and Robin's best interests in heart. Robin is not without means, he is my only heir and all that is mine will go to him before too long. The Denoir family is a proud lineage," he hurried on, knowing pride wasn't something she particularly admire, "though, to his credit Robin is particularly humble. You would be welcome here, Maria."

"What about love?" Maria asked, her throat dry.

"Well," Denoir cleared his throat with some trepidation, "That is between you and Robin, my dear. I am simply explaining to you what I see as your best course of action."

"What has Robin to say about this?" Maria asked.

"Ah, well, I imagine he'll be pleased with what I've put together," Denoir assured her, "He's extremely fond of you, as I'm sure you are aware."

"Extremely fond," Maria muttered.


	8. The Rules of Courtship

Rules of Courtship

[Author's Note: I watched Moonacre (the movie) for the fifth time the a while back, after writing the last chapter, when I realized there is a rather basic coat of arms shown in the scene where Maria gives the lost key to Robin's father. Needless to say, my coat of arms is not canon. However, I did do plenty of research and my coat of arms was inspired by the shield of a genuine French family with the last name De Noir. The family history I created for the Denoir's in this fanfiction is not canon, either. URL for De Noir Shield: .org/~?image_id=6778 ]

* * *

Robin found Maria to be especially quiet at dinner. Then again, it would have been hard to hear her at all over the din and clamor of everyone else in the main hall. She disappeared quietly into her own chambers after she'd eaten and Robin didn't see her for the rest of the day. He worried that his father had said something to upset her so he went to find the older Denoir.

"Father," Robin said, rousing the man from the work at his desk.

"Did you need something, my boy?" Denoir asked.

"I haven't heard from Maria since the two of you spoke today," Robin supplied, "I was wondering how your conversation with her went."

"It went well," Denoir said, dismissively, "Though she did seem surprised that we planned to have her marry you."

"What?" Robin's shock elevated his voice.

"Well," Denoir was stern and chastising, "I told you to kidnap her and you did. Why did you think I wanted you to kidnap her and bring her here? We can hide her in the castle until after the wedding and Merryweather will not be able to say a word after that."

"Father!" Robin put his hand up to yank on his hair, but was stopped by his hat, "She ran away because she didn't want to get married."

"No, she ran away because she didn't want to marry someone from London. She wants to stay in Moonacre. Marrying you is the best way to keep her here. Tell me honestly that you don't love her and I'll return her to the forest or her uncle immediately."

Denoir was fairly angry with his foolish son but he waited impatiently for a response.

Robin had nothing to say.

-0-0-000-0-0-

Taking a deep breath Robin went to join knock on Maria's chamber door. Alice answered the door. He'd always thought she was a meek little creature and he was pleased to see how relaxed her face was from Maria's kind presence. Her blue eyes turned worried when she saw him. She curtsied quickly and he used that moment to push the door open. Alice made a quick, quiet gasp but she didn't dare object. She kept her eyes low and stayed near the door.

Maria sat at the mirror of the dressing table. The dark wood of the table matched the frame around the three-panel mirror. The dressing table and mirror had been elaborately carved in Asia; it had been a gift from a business partner of his father's whose travels had taken him to China every few years. Robin paused to see Maria with her back to him where she sat but he could see her face in mirror and how it was framed by the dark wood.

Robin's stride took him across the room quickly.

"Maria," he said her name like it was pulled from deep inside his chest. She turned slightly, tilting her face toward him at the sound of her name.

"You have to know I didn't know everything my father had planned. I should have suspected or asked but I didn't. I just wanted you to be here," he told her quickly.

"Robin," Maria sighed, "It was foolish of me to run away from my problems. It was even more foolish for me to run here of all places."

"No," he insisted, "You belong here in Moonacre. You belong here."

"Perhaps," Maria's voice was quiet and she turned her face away from him and back towards the mirror.

"Please stay," he pleaded, "I need you to stay."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes turning speculatively when she looked back at him again.

"I don't know why," Robin told her, with great difficulty, "I just know I can't stand the idea of you marrying some sod from London. I can't stand the idea of you leaving Moonacre."

Maria turned back to stare fully into her own reflection, her eyes haunted.

"I don't know what I want," Maria whispered, "But I know I don't want to leave Moonacre if I can help it."

"Stay then," Robin said, "At least stay until you do know what you want. You can figure it out while you're here. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, Maria. I'll help you and support you in whatever you choose."

Maria took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh of relief. She concentrated on letting the pressure slide away.

"Thank you," she told him.

* * *

That night Robin dreamed of Maria. It was not the first time she'd invaded his sleeping mind. He dreamed of the flash of her red curls as she struggled in someone else's arms. They were in the woods again and he was trying to kidnap her again. But in the dream it was different; he was kidnapping her to marry her instead of wanting to lock her in the dungeon. In the dream his father had decided that he should steal the young Merryweather girl away and marry her to prevent her from breaking the curse. He was happy about it in the dream. He liked her fire, her spirit, and he didn't want the curse that would "punish the thieving Merryweathers" to hurt her. He wanted her to be a Denoir by the 5000th full moon this month. When he disobeyed his father and helped Maria to break the curse in the dream he was helping his wife to save both families and the valley.

In the dream when she jumped off of the cliff to save Moonacre he went over with her. He woke in his bed with his curls awry and his brown eyes wide. His sheets were wrapped around him uncomfortably and he kicked at them furiously. As soon as he was able to get out of bed he was up and out of his room, pacing the halls like an angry tiger.

He found his feet had guided him to Maria's room, though it hadn't occurred to him to go to her. He knew it would be out of bounds to wake her at this early hour of the morning but he hesitated at her door despite his better sense. He didn't know how long he stood staring at her door but he was still there when Alice opened the door to go down to the early breakfast. The servants always ate quickly and helped to prepare breakfast for his father and anyone lucky enough to be invited to his table.

She gasped when she saw him, shocked, and stared at him briefly before remembering herself and dropping down into a quick curtsy. By the time she looked up at him he was stalking down the hall, back towards his room again. Her curious blue eyes stared after him until he turned a corner.

* * *

Robin and Maria spent the next few days exploring the castle. For Robin, as usually was the case with Maria, it felt as if he was seeing everything with new eyes. Maria was not one to spend her days idly and when she saw firsthand how much work Robin did every day she began to look for things she could do to help out. Denoir was helpful in providing her with anything she needed and the housekeeper became used to Maria's gentle and helpful nature. Maria helped with the cook with baking pastries sometimes but most often she helped with sewing and needlepoint. The castle was soon filled with decorative pillows and rugs covered in Maria's needlepoint. The Denoir coat of arms or symbols pulled from it became a familiar theme for Maria's projects.

The Denoir castle was a combination of a fortress, home, and business. Robin's father was the constable for England, as well as being a Lord and a knight in his own right. He commanded nine other knights, twenty-seven men-at-arms, and an array of other men such as the crossbowmen and archers. There were the groomsmen that kept the horses, a watchmen who guarded the streets at night, the porters who held the doors and carried parcels, the two cooks, the maids, and the scullions.

Maria and Robin spent more time together than they had before she'd moved into his home. She saw him every day at mealtimes but also he made a point to greet her each day when she was out and about around the castle. He began by leaving fresh flowers at her door one morning. Alice put them into a vase next to the bed for her so the first thing she would see when she woke would be the flowers and when she went to sleep that day the flowers were the last thing she saw.

Maria fell asleep that night with a smile and she dreamed that night that she was a Denoir. She dreamed of being a bandit. Together she and Robin robbed a carriage on its way to London. It was a businessman's carriage and he had bags and bags of brilliant red carnelian gems. Maria woke expecting to find herself still covered in hundreds of red gemstones.

After spending about two weeks in the Denoir castle Maria awoke to find that a gold locket left for her, no doubt by Robin. She opened it carefully and found sweet scented rose petals inside it, wrapped around a curly lock of hair. The clasp on the chain was shaped like a heart. Alice helped Maria to put on the locket necklace and helped Maria to wash and get dressed.

Maria went down to the great hall to eat with the rest of the Denoir clan. The initial awkwardness of her presence had faded after a few days, with help from Robin's friends who were all too happy to tease her out of any uncomfortableness. Maria decided that she could see herself living her, in the castle, if she put her mind to it. She had thought about it and as long as Robin loved her she could see herself being happy anywhere.

Upon entering the great hall Maria was shocked to find her Uncle Benjamin and Aunt Loveday there, as if storming the place. Robin was standing next to his chair, while his father stayed seated and calm.

"Maria," Loveday said her name with relief, "We were so worried about you."

"Gad's teeth, girl, what do you think you're at running away to the Denoir castle?. You don't even have a chaperon," Benjamin shouted.

"I don't need one," Maria said, angrily, "I have decided that I will not leave Moonacre Valley. Instead, I will marry Robin Denoir. There is nothing you can do to stop me."

Robin still stood next to his chair but for a moment he felt a bit woozy. His stomach felt odd, though not unpleasantly odd, and his heart suddenly felt lighter than air.

Benjamin turned on Robin like a wild dog, "What have you done to my niece?"

"She is unharmed," Robin protested, "I would never hurt her. She came her of her own choosing. I intend to marry her so you don't need to worry about her honor and virtue. It remains intact. She has had a maid here with her, Alice, to chaperon her. Alice has been at her side every moment since she arrived."

It took Maria a moment to realize that this was true. She turned to glance curiously at Alice, who shrugged her thin shoulders as if in apology and smiled impishly.

"There is nothing to stop us from taking her home with us," Benjamin said.

"Oh, I think you're wrong there, Sir Benjamin," Couer Denoir said quietly. Robin made one small movement and half the table went to stand around Maria.

"She will leave when she chooses to leave," Robin said, grimly.

"Oh, dear, let's not fight about this," Loveday interjected finally. It had taken her a moment, with a lump in her throat, before she could talk past her happiness, "Why don't we take Maria home until the wedding? It will take at least a year to plan a wedding fit for a Denoir and a Merryweather."

"She can't marry him," Benjamin whispered roughly to Loveday.

"Why not?" she asked softly.

"He's... he's... he-"

"He's a Denoir?" Loveday asked, with some irony, "Well, that didn't stop you, dear."

"Gad's teeth, tongue, and tonsils," Benjamin swore.

"Now, now, dear. All that matters is Maria's happiness. This is obviously the young man who makes her happy. Who are we to stand in the way of love?" Loveday told him softly.

"I would be willing to go back to Merryweather Manor for the year before the wedding," Maria said, smiling, "After all, if you tried to keep me from marrying him I'm sure Robin could find some way to steal me back."

"That's settled then," Loveday said, "We'll go home and start planning the wedding. It will be lovely."

"Maria," Robin said, "Are you sure?"

"It will be alright, Robin," Maria promised him, "We'll marry and live happily ever after here. You can live without me underfoot for one more year. After that you won't ever be able to get rid of me."

"I'll see you soon," Robin promised.

"Yes, you will," Benjamin said, "You'll court her properly up until the wedding."

Maria thought she heard Loveday laugh quietly, but she couldn't be completely sure.

The End


End file.
